552 Capt. Sabine's Meynoir on the Birds of Greenland, <^c. 



called by the different names cited above,during the first year of its 

 existencCjwhen its tail is destituteof the long feathers, and its whole 

 plumage is marked with transverse bars of light-brown and dingy 

 white. The markings do not entirely leave it in the second year, 

 but are perceptible in the under parts of the wings and in the 

 adjoining under parts of the body: at this period the two centre 

 tail feathers have become elongated, the breast and throat have 

 become white, though sometimes spotted a little, and the ends of 

 the feathers of the back and wing coverts are tinged with brown, 

 the crown of the head being dark brown. As the birds advance 

 in age the under parts and back of the neck become white stained 

 more or less with brown, and the sides and back of the neck are 

 tinged with yellow; the crown of the head and the whole upper 

 parts except the neck are an uniform dark brown, and the two 

 tail feathers are much lengthened. In all these changes there are 

 however considerable variations; and even in the description of 

 the immature bird as a separate species, authors have varied ac- 

 cording to the age of the specimen before them. Fabricius's ob- 

 servations ascertained that there was no difference between the 

 sexes; and as he saw them at their breeding places he must have 

 been aware of their difference of plumage in their young state. 

 I learn from Mr. Temminck, who has had recent opportunities of 

 investigating the history of this bird, that he is satisfied the males 

 and females of the same age are alike, and that he is convinced of 

 the specific identity of the Larus crepidatus. But the great diffi- 

 culty is where to place the birds which have their whole under parts 

 brown : these have been erroneously considered by many as the 

 females, and Briinnich made them a distinct species ; — the elu- 

 cidation of this point must wait for further investigation. Several 

 birds in that state of plumage, but no young ones, were killed 

 during the voyage in the Straits. 



25. Pro- 



